From the MountainTop Eagle-

The Dorrance Township Supervisors heard testimony on May 8 from Patrick Bartorillo, the General Manager of Small Mountain Quarry, that at least 150 jobs would be lost if the quarry closes in the next few years when its materials are exhausted.Bartorillo was the only witness to testify at a hearing on the request of Slusser Brothers, the quarry owners and operators, to continue the quarry on the south side of Small Mountain Road. Slusser Brothers is a subsidiary of Harrisburg-based Pennsy Supply

Pennsy Attorney George Asimos presented Bartorillo with a state document, which was admitted as evidence at an earlier hearing by opposition Attorney Bill Higgs, showing there were 18 employees listed in 2006 as quarry workers. Bartorillo explained that the document referred to only workers who actually worked in the quarry pit, not the rest of the Slusser Brothers employees who depend on the quarry for their livelihoods.

Bartorillo estimated that there are conservatively 150 workers who would lose their jobs if the quarry closes. They include truck drivers, equipment operators, mechanics, asphalt plant operators and construction company workers.

Bartorillo testified that the average Slusser Brothers employees has at least 10 years of service, which gives them additional vacation time and sick leave and allows them seeks promotions based on seniority. Those benefits would be lost if the quarry closed and they were forced to find new jobs.

"It's been implied that these employees could find work elsewhere" Bartorillo said. "I think that doesn't take into account what stable employment does for the local economy and the employee's family."

In 2007, Small Mountain Quarry purchased more than $11 million on goods and services from vendors throughout Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Following Bartorillo's testimony, Township Solicitor James Schneider announced that the conditional use hearings would be suspended for several months as Pennsy presents its plan to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Schneider explained that the DEP review would allow Pennsy to answer some of the questions raised by the township's hydrologist about how the company plans to preserve the wetlands and protect the Balliet Run.

Asimos said that the company is pleased to seek the answers for the township by having DEP review the quarry proposal. He noted that DEP approval is needed before the quarry is issued a mining permit, so the parallel track of simultaneously seeking township and DEP approval would not delay the project and jeopardize the quarry jobs.